The Brooklyn Dad had vowed never to buy another ticket to a Major League Baseball game. This was in 1994, just after the baseball players went on strike.

The Brooklyn Dad saw the strike as a sign of greed. It was difficult to sympathize with professional athletes who were more than well paid for their skills and services.

So, the Brooklyn Dad has attended only a handful of games since then, and only when tickets were given to him. He was more than content to become a regular at Brooklyn Cyclones games where the prices were more reasonable and he could afford to bring along family and friends.

This being the final year of action in Shea Stadium, the Brooklyn Dad figured it would be worth the one-time expense of taking his 11-year-old son to a Mets game. What’s the commercial say – memories, priceless!

Price of Admission

Tickets were ordered on the Internet. A pair of loge reserved went for $49 apiece. The Brooklyn Dad recalled that similar seats when he was a kid would have gone for $2.50 each and would have been available at the box office on game day. But that’s when ballplayers worked second jobs in the off-season. In addition to the face value of the tickets, there was the “non-refundable per order service charge” of $16 for the privilege of ordering online and to cover the mailing. For starters, $114 for two ducats.

The game was anticipated with great enthusiasm. On the evening of the contest between the Mets and the Giants, the Brooklyn Dad and Son were on the road to Big Shea. The traffic from Brooklyn to Flushing Meadows was not bad that night, so they arrived about one hour before game time. Parking – $15 and of course there was less space available because of the construction of Citi Field, which looks beautiful.

To kill the hour before the start, the Brooklyn Dad treated Son and himself to a foot-long hot dog, soda and a bag of peanuts – $24. The scorecard was another $5 but the scoring pencil was free. Again, Dad recalled the cherished scorecard he bought at Ebbets Field in 1957, which is still kept as a precious souvenir – $.15 at the time.

Naturally, the predicted rains came and the game was held up for 40 minutes. More soda and pretzels - $16.

The Brooklyn Dad and Son thoroughly enjoyed the game, even though Dad’s team lost and Son’s team won. They both stayed in their seats for the entire game, bantering back and forth and Dad explaining the intricacies of scoring to Son.

One of the features of attending a game at Shea is the ability to have your photo taken in your seats and then being able to order it online. We had it taken. We ordered – $20 for one eight-by-ten.

Since this is the last season at Shea, a visit to the souvenir shop was a must as we exited and made our way to the parking area. A souvenir Shea patch, Mr. Mets bobble head, and Mets book went for $63. By this time, Dad was onto the credit card, the cash running low.

Add it all up and the lovely night at the ballpark cost $257 for two people. What would Dad have done if there was more than one heir to the family fortune? Still the evening had been a success. A good time was had by both. And the memories will survive the American Express bill.

But a night at Shea is no longer family night out unless it can be put on the business entertainment account. With the new Citi Field having fewer seats and the demand next year predictably higher, one wonders what a similar evening will cost in years to come and who will be able to afford it.

Let’s Go Cyclones!

The Brooklyn Dad and Son return this week to KeySpan Park where the best seat is only $13 and can be purchased at the box office prior to the game and parking is only $5. That’s doable for a family of four and families actually can entertain the thought of having the kids’ birthday party there.

As for the big ballparks, the prices will continue to soar as long as corporations continue to buy up the seats and fans are willing to put up with the shenanigans of their “heroes.” Since the Son is not a Yankees’ fan, the trip to the old ballpark in the Bronx is off for now. The Brooklyn Dad and Son will wait and see if someone offers freebies for the new house that Steinbrenner is building.

Let’s go Cyclones! And on Friday nights, you get fireworks!